Tipsy Tuesday (#372)

I love the variety of apples available in the fall. Honeycrisp are probably my favorite to eat.

Tip #372

But I am never quite sure what other varieties might be good and for what purpose. This chart from Or So She Says... is a great guide to getting your apple pick right!

My favorite way to eat apples is with a little peanut butter. Elise loves to help me make Chocolate Chip Hummus (recipe soon) to eat hers with. What is your favorite way to enjoy an apple?

It's Not You, It's Me...

I know, I know, I haven't been around in 2 months! I didn't plan it, it just sort of happened. Life started to feel overwhelming -  work, health, weight loss struggles, threenager drama....something had to give. I did something that I never do, and that was just let some things go so that I could regroup. It is rare for me to give myself permission to not do it all, but I needed it. Thanks for giving me the freedom to do that.

I'll be back to posting this week and will try to get you all caught up on the last part of our summer and life since I last blogged.

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Tipsy Tuesday (#371)

A few months back, we ditched our satellite, and started a run with Netflix and Amazon Prime for our entertainment needs. Not gonna lie, I miss some of the things that we could watch on TV before, but binge watching full seasons of shows with no commercials is pretty awesome.

Tip #371

The Rev stalks a Facebook group that is full of Netflix users who have recommendations of what to watch next. And I am loving this list that I found (y'all know I am all about a checklist!) over at The Greenbacks Gal full of suggestions in all kinds of different categories.

I love having others do the research for me and save me from bad TV!

Do you binge on Netflix? What is your favorite show? Let's all pause here and let me have a moment to deal with the lack of Tim Riggins in my life since we wrapped up Friday Night Lights...

Tipsy Tuesday (#370)

School will be starting back soon (I had to go back to work last Thursday - Boo!) and I wanted to mention the school supply that your school may need that you may not be aware of.

Tip #370

Until I worked in the school system, I had no idea the students that come to school unprepared in some way, either due to financial difficulties or due to lack of parental involvement. At the middle school level, I was surprised to find that many girls do not have access at home to the feminine hygiene products that they need each month and are forced to rely on the school nurse to provide them. Ask your school nurse if there is a need and consider donating sanitary pads for the school to have on hand.                   

Tipsy Tuesday (#369)

If one more person asks me, "Is it hot enough for you?," I will donkey punch them in the throat...

Tip #369

We are in some hot, hot days right now and working to stay cool. Lots of trips to the pool, plenty of water, and popsicles have all been helping us beat some of the heat. The CDC has some great tips for the best ways to deal with extreme heat. And of course, it is a great reminder to be extra vigilant of young children, the elderly, those with medical conditions, and even pets.

What is the weather like in your neck of the woods?

Tipsy Tuesday (#368)

My month off is approaching an end and I haven't gotten near the things done around the house that I had planned, but I have had plenty of time with my girl and you can't trade those memories. I may try to tackle paper clutter since this is a quick nap time project.

Tip #368

If you are trying to get rid of paper clutter and don't know where to start, Clean Mama has a great printable that will help you decide what to keep and what to toss.

Do you hang on to every little paper scrap or do you have a system for dealing with it?

Tipsy Tuesday (#367)

Do you use Amazon Prime? We are big fans over here! Especially since we got rid of cable and can still watch plenty of great shows and movies with our Prime membership.

Tip #367

Today is Prime Day. 

Check out all of the exclusives for Prime members here.

4th of July Recap in Photos

{Fireworks & Sparklers}

{A New Skirt}

{Festive Red, White, and Blue Drink - Sparkling White Grape Juice & Frozen Berries}

Tipsy Tuesday (#366)

My month off in the summer is finally here! That means lots of fun adventures with Elise. I try to keep the car stocked for whatever we might decide to do while out and about - snacks, sand toys, sunscreen, and a first aid kit.

Tip #366

My Frugal Adventures has a great checklist for a travel First Aid kit. And I love her idea of storing it all in an old, empty baby wipes container.

What are your summer travel must haves?

Tipsy Tuesday (#365)

4th of July weekend is this coming weekend and that usually means grilling!

Tip #365

Heading out to the grill? Check out this infographic first!

Visually has this to say, "From safety tips for your cookout to proper cooking temperatures and a complete packing list, this grilling guide will ensure you stay safe as you head outdoors."

Do you have a cookout on the 4th? Do you go see fireworks?

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Sometimes I have a habit of pinning recipes and never trying them. But this is definitely one of those that I am glad that I actually got around to trying.

This is one of our favorite low carb, quick go-to dinners! I can seriously have it on the table in less than 15 minutes, start to finish. And ground pork (we use plain pork and add our own spices, since traditional sausage has a tendency to have tons of unnecessary sugars in it) is super cheap at our grocery store (I can usually get it for about $1/lb.), so this Sausage Egg Roll in a Bowl is also very budget friendly. We serve it over a little quinoa, but you could just as easily eat it by itself.

Do you have a favorite quick dinner?

Tipsy Tuesday (#364)

They sent home cute tie dyed shirts from Elise's preschool this year...and I tossed it in the wash with regular clothes, not realizing that the color hadn't been set very well. That meant that 2 pair of new khaki shorts that I had in there, now had blue dye all over them...

Tip #364

Try using a color remover before you throw what you think are ruined clothes away.

I paid just $2 for this
brand, and after a 2 minute stir in the kitchen sink and a regular wash, all of the dye came out! Did I mention that before that I had tried every stain remedy known to man with no success?

Serious life saver!

What's Up This Weekend?

Here's what's up this weekend at our house:

• Father's Day(s)! Since we are tied up all day Sunday, we are planning to spoil the Rev on Saturday with dinner, then follow up with gifts and cards on Sunday - he loves to stretch a holiday out!
• Assembling Father's Day goodies for all of the Dads in our church congregation.
• Sandal shopping - Elise is in desperate need. These are our favorites that we get every year, but her size has been hard to come by thus far this year.
• Some rest for Elise - she is doing an all day kiddie camp, 3 days a week, and having a blast, but no nap means she is a little grumpy some evenings. I am hoping that she can catch up this weekend because...
• Vacation Bible School starts on Sunday and that means that we will be at church until at least 8:30 every night through Wednesday. Exhausting!
• Countdown! Only 2 weeks of work left before I break for the month of July. Can't wait!
• And of course, it is not a weekend without the usual house cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, and meal prep.

What are your plans this weekend?

Tipsy Tuesday (#363)

We've reached the time of year when our friends are sharing their garden overload. I love it! Especially since it provides me with veggies that I don't usually buy, since the Rev is not much on them.

Tip #363

It's a great time to remind us of the proper way to store fruits and vegetables for maximum freshness (see chart).

What is your favorite summer veggie? And how do you prepare it? I love corn on the cob and zucchini!

Tipsy Tuesday (#362)

Elise is just wrapping up some swim lessons and we have fun plans for a summer full of water.

Tip #362

It never hurts to brush up on water safety rules and tips for success at the pool.